Geode
by Iron Rose Writer
Summary: Arthur was destined for the sea. By accident he became a pirate, and then a captain. Antonio was a simple man, trying to earn a living. But when these two lives meet, blood is shed and their lives are sent down a path neither had in mind. {Sea of Jewels Series; Prequel 1}
1. Geode

**A/N: Hello everybody! Welcome to the first prequel to my story _Jewel of the Sea_. I guess that technically makes this the first story in the series.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Arthur Kirkland was born at sea.

Honestly, it was surprising that none of the other Kirkland boys were born on the water - what with the amount of traveling they did. Mrs. Angela Kirkland was the heiress to a trading empire and so she and her husband, Saxon, were required to travel quite a bit. They had already managed to have a child in Scotland and Wales, and a pair of twins in Ireland. It was too bad that all that travel had made the boys hate sailing, but there was nothing anyone could do about that.

The day Arthur was born was warm and sunny - a rarity for the usually dreary isle of England - and, for once, warm enough for pleasure sailing. So Angela demanded that her husband take her and the boys out on their family boat. Saxon instantly rejected the idea, reminding his wife that she was eight months pregnant. But she was adamant, and Mr. Kirkland had to give in. However, he insisted that they bring a midwife. Just in case.

So out they went.

They had only been on the water for half an hour when Angela's water broke. It was messy, disgusting, and scarred the other four Kirkland boys for life, but Arthur came out more easily than any of her other boys. The midwife carefully laid the little baby in her arms and Angela smiled at her newest son.

The baby had light blonde hair and eyebrows so large they looked like they were trying to eat the baby's face. But the thing Angela noticed first was his eyes. His beautiful, shining, emerald eyes. They were open for only a second, before the rocking of the waves lulled him to sleep.

* * *

And so it seemed that even from birth Arthur was destined for the sea. He took to it like a fish to water.

Literally.

As a young boy, Arthur loved anything to do with water. In the summers, he swam, splashed, and if he couldn't be found, the first place anyone checked was the beach. During the chilly English springs and winters, Arthur drifted away from the seashore and into the family library. There he found stories of mermaids, explorers, and adventurers - further entrancing him with the ocean. As he grew further he returned to the seaside but instead of swimming, he sailed.

Arthur learned as much as he could about boats, their crews, and everything in between. He would share the things he learned with anyone who would listen. Angela encouraged this and more. She told Arthur all about her own ocean travels and the people she met all over the world. She encouraged him to follow his passions and he did.

That was why the day Arthur turned eighteen, he signed onto a sailing crew.

Unfortunately, being the sheltered, naive, young man he was, Arthur ended up on a pirate crew.

He discovered this fairly quickly. However, he took his unfortunate situation in stride and found that he actually enjoyed being a pirate. He became fast friends with many of his crewmates. He learned quickly and after only five months he became the Quartermaster.

This was when he had his first real interaction with the captain of the ship and Arthur discover just how putrid and despicable the man was. They met in the Captain's cabin and by the time Arthur left he was already planning his mutiny.

He received more support than he had originally expected. Most of the crew despised the man just as much as Arthur if not more. Thus only a week passed before the captain was deposed and Arthur was elected to take his place.

They made a good choice. Despite Arthur's lack of experience, he was a fair captain and an all around better man than the last. He was generous, always making sure his crew members were funded and giving them plenty of land time. Safe to say, they loved him.

To those outside his crew, however, Arthur was a menace. No ship escaped him without losing at least one or two crew members. He made many enemies but that never worried him. He had a fierce crew and a reputation that few would try to cross.

That was Arthur's life for about a year. Until one raid where he met a pirate just as powerful as him.

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 **A/N: Sorry this is so short. It was honestly really difficult for me to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with not only this chapter but the whole story as well. I got it figured out though so things should started moving soon.** **Until then...**

 **Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!**


	2. Smoking Quartz

**A/N: Chapter 2 is ready for reading. Arthur's a total butt here btw. But he's a pirate so it's kinda expected.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Arthur Kirkland had been captain of his very own ship for barely a year when he decided to raid a small Spanish port town. His ship hadn't seen anything worth attacking lately and they running low on supplies. Not to mention it would be a great opportunity for his men to stretch their legs.

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Antonio Fernandez Carriedo stepped off the merchant ship with money in his hands and a smile on his face. He was finally home after a nine month voyage to the Americas and he just couldn't wait to his parents and friends again - especially Lovino.

Antonio glanced around, orienting himself, and starting down the old streets towards his home. People waved to the smiling man as he walked. It was dusk so many were closing up their shops and street stalls. Children ran around, racing home so as to not miss supper.

The crack and boom of cannon fire shocked him out of his thoughts. He spun around to try to locate the origin of the sounds. His grin fell, turning to worry.

That was the area of his parents house.

Antonio began running. More cannon fire erupted and soon the air was filled with smoke and ash. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to see through the smoke. It filled his lungs and he began hacking and coughing. But he kept moving, shouting for his parents as people rushed past him in panic.

Finally he turned onto his street only to find pirates running around and plundering houses. He watched in horror as they entered his parents home. Antonio raced forward as the pirates dragged his parents out of the house.

"Leave them alone!" he shouted, running towards them.

"Stop right there," a British man commanded, stepping in front of him and pointing a pistol at his chest. Antonio skidded to a stop. He tried to spot his parents but the man blocked his view.

The pirate looked him up and down. He spotted Antonio's money purse hanging from his hip and snatched it away. He weighed it in his hand and analyzed it approvingly. "What did you do to get all this?" he asked sarcastically.

Antonio ignored him - probably not the smartest move seeing as he was a pirate and all ,but Antonio couldn't bring himself to care.

"Hello?" The Brit waved a hand in his face. "I asked you a question."

Antonio scowled. "I don't care. Get out of my way." He pushed the pirate to the side and began moving towards his parents once more.

They were huddled together outside their home watching the pirates in fear.

"Padre! Madre!" Antonio cried out. They turned their heads to him and a gunshot rang out.

Blood erupted from his father's forehead, showering his mother. The woman screamed in terror and violently pushed her husband's body off of hers. Antonio's eyes widened in shock.

The pirate spoke again. "Arthur Kirkland is not someone you can just ignore," he snapped angrily.

Antonio turned back to him. "You- You-"

"I what?" he sneered. "Killed your father? Yes. I did that." He raised his pistol and fired again. "Oh look. There goes your mother too. How sad." The pirate pointed his gun at Antonio. "And there goes you," he finished, firing one more time.

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 _ **Dun-Dun-DUH**_ **!**

 **Oh no! What's going to happen next? What about Antonio?!**

 **Find out whenever I update next. In the meantime...**

 **Thanks to all those who followed, favorited, and reviewed! It means the world!**

 **Hope to see you soon!**


	3. Mercury

Antonio's eyes blinked blearily open. For a moment the world was solely a collection of fuzzy color but is slowly cleared to form an unfamiliar picture. His mouth was dry and his leg burned with pain. He groaned softly.

"He's awake," a voice said quietly. Antonio glanced towards the speaker and saw what he could only assume to be a doctor. But his view quickly replaced by a shock of auburn.

"Lovino?" he managed to croak out.

"Of course, you _idota_ ," the Italian said with a much snark as he could muster. He was honestly really worried about Antonio. The doctor handed him a glass of water which he promptly shoved at Antonio. "Here drink this."

Antonio took it and nodded his thanks. After taking a long gulp, he asked quietly, "What happened?"

Lovino frowned. "You were shot in the leg. You were bleeding out and I barely found you in time. This guy was the nearest doctor and he patched you up."

"And my parents?"

"They're dead," Lovino said softly, not meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Antonio's fists clenched in rage, pain, and grief. "Don't be, Lovi. The only person who should be sorry is Arthur Kirkland." His face twisted in vengeful determination. "And I'll make sure of that."

* * *

Arthur sat in his captain's quarters aboard his precious ship, counting out the gold from the raid. They brought in more than he expected and lost only three men and one leg - pretty good if he did say so himself.

He instructed his first mate to take them to the nearest port to resupply. They had enough money to go around and he wanted to let his men enjoy themselves.

Life couldn't get any better.

* * *

By the end of the year, Antonio's leg was fully heal and he was signed onto a new ship. But instead of a merchant vessel, this one was pirate. Lovino didn't like it.

"Stop being an idiot, bastard," he snapped.

Antonio sighed. They had this conversation before. "I'm going Lovi. You can't stop me. This is something I have to do, you know that."

Lovino didn't speak so he continued. "I love you, but-"

"Then let me come with you."

Antonio froze. This was new. Lovino had never asked to come with him before, but he knew that couldn't happen either. "No. Absolutely not."

"But-"

Antonio pressed his lips to Lovi's, cutting off any protests. When he pulled away, he said, "Lovi, I love you so much and I promise I'll come back to you. Alright? I have to go now but I promise to come back."

Lovino was frozen in shock from the kiss but slowly he nodded. "Fine. But if you don't, I'll kill you. Got that, bastard?"

Antonio chuckled. "Perfectly." He gave Lovi one more peck on the cheek before turning and heading away for his new life.

 _Juro por la tumba de mis padres, Lovino Vargas, entraré de nuevo para usted._

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 **Translations:**

 _Idiota -_ Idiot

 _Juro por la tumba de mis padres, Lovino Vargas, entraré de nuevo para usted. -_ I swear by my parents' grave, Lovino Vargas, I will come back for you.

* * *

 **And there's that. Okay, I'm gonna be completely honest with you guys here, but I don't feel like this story is even half as good as the last one. It just feels really choppy and messy and I don't personally like my writing for it. It almost feels unnatural. I don't know. Does this happen to other people or is it just me? It's just... Ugh. I don't have the words. There will only probably be about two more chapters and then this mess is over and we can get to Francis. (Which is the real reason we're all here anyway.)**

 **So until next time thanks for the favs, follows, and reviews! _Bon voyage_!**


	4. Pyrite

Three years later, Antonio was captain of his own pirate ship, the _Ojo Del Diablo_. He fought his way to the top, never forgetting his promise to avenge his parents. He obsessed over Kirkland. Antonio read every scrap of paper related to the man. He studied his known routes, fighting techniques, preferred victim type - Antonio knew everything there was to know about Arthur Kirkland.

Now, after so many years of feeding his obsession, Antonio created a plan that was sure to spell the end of the English pirate. He had tracked Kirkland's current route to the closest degree and knew exactly where to strike.

Soon Arthur Kirkland would be no more.

* * *

"Ship approaching off the port bow!" yelled the look-out from the bird's nest.

Arthur stood at the steering wheel. "Flag?" he shouted back.

"Unrecognizable, sir!"

The Englishman's large eyebrows furrowed. Was it a new flag or could the man simply not make it out? Arthur called for the man to clarify his statement. It was rare to find a ship flying new colors. Most merchant vessels flew the flags of their company, navy ships were easily recognizable by shape and always flew their country's flag. Unknown colors could be a cause for concern or a huge payoff.

"New flag!" the look-out shouted.

Arthur passed the wheel off to his first mate and pulled out his spyglass. He focused it in on the ship in question and was surprised to find it sailing towards them. He ordered his crew to slow the ship down and prepare for the upcoming fight.

This ship's captain was fool and Arthur couldn't wait to show him just how outmatched he really was.

* * *

Antonio grinned. As predicted, Kirkland took the bait. The Spanish pirate order his crew to prepare for battle. He handed the wheel over to his first mate and headed down to his own cabin to ready himself.

Antonio took a deep breath and leaned against his cabin door. He needed to be calm for this. It would probably be his only chance to catch Kirkland unaware. This entire plan was essentially banking on the fact that Arthur didn't know or didn't care that he was still alive.

Antonio doubted that Kirkland even remembered him or killing his parents.

That thought caused a familiar weight to settle in the Spaniard's stomach. He felt his racing heart slow and a sense of calm fell over his mind.

Antonio could do this. He _needed_ to do this. After Kirkland was dead, he would finally have closure. Kirkland's end would mean that he could let go of his parents' death.

He had no clue what he'd do after this. Killing Kirkland had been the driving force behind every decision he made over the past three years.

A bell clanged from the deck - signaling the proximity of Kirkland's ship. Antonio snapped back to reality at the sound. He snatched up his cutlass and pistol and slipped on his best coat. A malicious grin formed on his face. Antonio wanted to look good for this.

He was attending a funeral after all.

* * *

As soon as Arthur felt his ship bump into the other, he shouted out the attack order. Instantly the air was filled with the noise of battle. Guns and swords clashed together in a cacophony of clangs, cracks, and battle cries.

The smell of gunpowder reached Arthur's nose and he threw himself into the battle without a second thought. He fired his pistol at any enemy who approached. He traversed the length of the ship with a sadistic smirk, watching and waiting for whatever idiot captained this ship to emerge and do _something_.

Arthur didn't have to wait long. A man in a black captain's coat quickly fought his way towards the Englishman.

"You must be the captain of this pitiful vessel," Arthur sneered as soon as the other man was close enough to hear.

The other pirate sneered back just as fiercely. "That I am. And you'd be wise to fear me, Captain Kirkland."

Arthur laughed mockingly. "I don't even know who you are. You're barely a speck of dust on the sole of my boot. What do I have to fear from a speck of dust?" The Englishman smirked as the Spanish captain grew more enraged.

"You don't know who I am?! You killed my parents! You shot me! How can you not remember that?"

Arthur shrugged again. All he was doing now was pissing the other captain off for his own amusement. His anger would only make him easier to kill. "What can I say? I've killed a lot of parents in my time."

The Spaniard saw red. "My name is Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo. And I am going to kill you."

Antonio raised his sword and thrust it at Kirkland. He put as much force as he could behind the blow. However, Arthur parried it with ease and returned with a forceful strike of his own.

The two captains exchanged blow after blow. The fight grew more and more heated. The clangs and crashes of their swords became increasingly aggressive and violent. Kirkland drew the first blood. He nicked Antonio's arm but was forced back before he could cut too deep. Antonio managed to surprise Arthur by cutting him not once but twice - both times drawing blood.

*At the sight of Kirkland's blood, Antonio began to strike at Arthur with reckless abandon.*

Until Antonio forced himself to take a mental step back. He was letting his emotions drive him and if he kept fighting like this, Kirkland would win. The Spaniard could feel his body grow tired, while Kirkland seemed to still be going strong. Renewed determination and calm settled over Antonio, as he figured out what exactly he had to do next.

Antonio's strength returned with a vengeance. His blows began to force Kirkland backwards. As they traveled down the length of the ship, the pirates' crews slowed and soon ceased their individual fights to watch their captains.

Little by little, Antonio could see Kirkland strength waning. The English pirate's strikes were slowing, but his face still held a mocking smirk.

Kirkland kept a tight grip on that condescending smile until Antonio managed to force him to the edge of the ship. Kirkland lost his cocky demeanor when his back hit the ship railing. His eyes widened in panic when he realized he was trapped.

Kirkland swung his sword as a last ditch attempt to force Antonio back. The blade sliced diagonally through Antonio's coat - thoroughly ruining it. However, that was the last thing on the Spanish pirate's mind as he pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Arthur's head.

Time seemed to slow as Antonio cocked his pistol. Arthur wore a furious grimace and Antonio could feel the mad grin that stretched across his own face.

" _Oro para que usted se quema en los pozos más bajas del infierno_ ," Antonio stated coldly. " _Adios_ Arthur Kirkland."

Just as Antonio pulled back the trigger, Kirkland brought up his sword and hit the barrel of the gun with his blade. The shot went wild and disappeared into the air. Antonio quickly fired a second shot, but his aim was off and the bullet hit Kirkland in the stomach instead of the head.

Arthur dropped his sword and clutched at his stomach. He staggered backwards and his back hit the railing once more.

But this time the imminent danger didn't register until Arthur was already over the edge.

The Englishman's body hit the water with a massive splash and Antonio stared down at the water with an bitter glare. Finally, it was over. Arthur Kirkland was gone. His parents were avenged. They could be a peace. He could be at peace. All that was left was to tie up a few loose strings.

"Kill them all!" Antonio commanded. "Burn their ship! I want no survivors!"

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 **Translations:**

 _Ojo Del Diablo_ \- Devil's Eye

 _Oro para que usted se quema en los pozos más bajas del infierno_ \- I pray you burn in the lowest pits of hell

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 **I frickin' hate this fight scene. I felt (and still feel) the pain in my fingers as my soul ached at the terribleness of this. It'd fit better in LOTR. It's boring and long and I hate it.**

 **Anyway, one more chapter (gonna be super short - but for a good reason) and then MAYBE I'll start the FrUK bit. I'm really going to need an experienced romance writer to help me with that. So if any of you have any advice or would want to beta me, that would be awesome.**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	5. Cat's Eye

**A/N: Wow. I didn't that last chapter was so bad no one would review at all. The pain in my soul is beyond compare! My heart aches in lack of validation! JK, I'm being passive aggressive.**

 **But anywho, final chapter here and, as promised, FrUK galore.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Arthur had no idea how he was still alive. He couldn't even tell if he _was_ still alive. He didn't feel dead but he couldn't really feel anything in the first place. There was no pain, but he knew this couldn't be heaven. Even if there was an afterlife, there was no chance he would get to go to heaven. He had killed too many people for that.

On the other hand, this couldn't be hell either. Arthur distinctly remembered that all the stories said that hell was supposed to be a lot less wet and have a lot more fire. And screaming. And pain. And burning.

Arthur's mind rambled on aimlessly. Normally, he would be more worried about the loss of control over his own thoughts, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Everything was too fuzzy for him to even process what he was thinking.

All he could do was cling to whatever was keeping him afloat - Arthur didn't have the energy to check - and wait for death to take him. The waves grew rougher and it abruptly grew dark. Death was already here for him.

Arthur could hear shouting, but he was too far gone to try and process what was being said. A small wave pushed him gently forward, and then suddenly there were hands grabbing at him. He was roughly pulled into a small lifeboat and back to awareness. Arthur blinked and groaned.

" _Il est vivant_!" a voice shouted. A blonde haired, blue-eyed face appeared in his vision, and for a moment it seemed like the entire world came to a halt.

Then all the pain that his body hadn't been registering since he hit the water, kicked back in. Arthur cried out and the blonde man called out for help.

That was the last thing Arthur registered before his eyes rolled back in his head and he blacked out for the second time that day.

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 **Translations:**

 ** _Il est_ vivant! _-_ He's alive!**

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 **Welp! Done with that! Last chance to tell me what you think of this story. I'm also still looking for advice on how to write romance.**

 _Since no one responded to my ask last chapter..._

 **Sorry. I got passive aggressive again. My bad. ^_^ =_=**

 **Keep your eyes open for the next story in this series: Sapphire Dawn. ****That will be the true FrUK story.**

 **Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy my next story!**


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